Delilah's Ballet Dress

Recently, Fabric.com posted a link to a free peasant dress pattern. I made one in almost no time at all! Check it out here.

I think the Minnie Mouse slippers really make the outfit, don't you?!?

VERY simple to put together. Given Delilah's new obsession with only wearing red, pink, or purple, I've been sewing accordingly. I found this pretty pink fabric with red and pink ballerinas that I just had to get for her -- I think it was from Hancock Fabrics. Sorry I can't recall. Darnit. I'll update with the name of the fabric later.

A lovely dress to pick flowers in.

And make funny faces in.

The instructions include putting elastic in the sleeves so they are cute little poufs. I tried the dress on D and just left the elastic out. This is a 3T and just fits her and I didn't want the sleeves too tight and turn her off wearing it. The next version I'll make a 4T and include the elastic. SO quick to make this simple dress. And if I say so myself -- SO CUTE!

I have SO many pretty fabrics in my stash, but since D is just interested in her favorite colors, there's no point in me sewing with them. I want to make things she WANTS to wear. So its red and pink and purple all over my sewing room for a while. I bought some fabric to make MYSELF things when I need to rebel and sew something blue or green!

Coming up, I have cute toy from the Wee Wonderfuls book to show off - and am in the midst of making a very special dress to enter my local ASG contest. I hope it looks as dreamy in real life as it does in my head.

Later skaters,

Janimal

McCalls m4815

Over a year ago, I bought a McCall's pattern to make Delilah a dress. M4815.


It was a simple dress with a cute little tie at the neck for detail.



I decided to use a checkered bias tape for the sleeves, and after sewing one on, didn't like it. So it has sat in my sewing room, unfinished for over a year!

I finally got around to finishing it before Delilah got too big for it. But used a solid bias tape at the neckline.


To me, it looks a bit home-made with the bias tape I used, rather than hand-made. Know what I mean? Friends who know I sew, look at Delilah's outfits, and ask if I made them, and they mean it as a compliment. With this dress, it looks obviously home-made, which isn't as much a compliment.

But when worn by my sweet girl, I like it much better! She makes this dress look gooood!

I sure do love my model.

Later skaters,
Janimal

Delilah and Daddy Coordinating Outfits!

I am in the final few weeks of pregnancy. Hard to believe!

After the little man makes his appearance, I am pretty sure I won't have much time for sewing. In the meantime I am trying to make a few more projects before my hiatus.

Recently I got to test a pattern for childrens' pattern designer Oliver & S. But this is a new kind of test -- not a new pattern test. But an OLD pattern test! They have several patterns that have gone out of print, but as new sewists discover this great company, they still want them. So O&S is looking into making the patterns available as pdf files to download. As a tester, I was sent an out of print pattern that was converted to a pdf to print myself and sew up.

I already own the pattern, the Puppet Show Dress. It's the pattern I used to make Delilah's Snow White dress, actually. Just a lovely little dress pattern!

So here is the test dress I sewed up! D is currently fitting well into 3T, but I made this dress is a 4T so she could get a little more wear out of it. Not too big though - check it out!

The fabric is "Innocent Crush" by Anna Maria Horner that I bought at Whipstitch Fabrics. You may recall I used this print to make my sweet husband a tie. So Delilah and her Daddy had coordinating outfits to wear Saturday night. Unfortunately, I didn't do so well capturing their matchiness. I do have one funny pic of a crazed looking D, with her Daddy and his tie in the background.

"You talkin' to me?"

I sewed this dress Saturday afternoon, and found myself scrambling to finish to put it on D before we raced out to a wedding reception. So instead of following the lovely hem facing finishing instructions in the pattern, I haphazardly folded the bottom and sewed a very rushed hem. I felt like a contestant on Project Runway trying to get a garment done before racing to the runway. I can only imagine what Nina, Michael, & Heidi would have said if they got a look at my hem.

I'll finish the hem properly and get some better pictures!

Thanks for stopping by!

Janimal

Apple Picking Dress

Hello friends! I am SO EXCITED to show off one of the new Fall Oliver & S patterns today. I was a pattern tester for this dress and I just fell in love with it. I've been dying to share it!

So here it is - worn by my very favorite little model!:

My happy little model likes her new dress!

Couldn't you just eat her up?

This pattern is called the Apple Picking Dress

The fabric I used is called "Delilah" by Tanya Whelan. I think the white polka dots on blue, with the dropped waist style, give the dress kind of a retro look.

It was fun to pick out buttons too. I think buttons can add SO MUCH to a garment. These buttons have just a hint of blue in the inner circle.

Delilah was modelling the dress on the old walkway in front of our house. Oh that walkway was getting old and was SO ugly. Construction is going on now - we took out the walkway and are putting in a front patio. A nice place for us to sit and relax while we watch our kids ride bikes in the cul de sac. My sweet husband is calling it our "partio"!

I need to sew a new outfit for Delilah so she can show off the new construction!

I have a tutorial in the works for the curtains I made for our new little nursery. I just need to hang them and take their picture and hope they look as nice actually up as they do slung across the back of my sewing chair!

Thanks for stopping by!

Janimal

Seashore Sundress Oliver & S Preview!

Greetings! I have something so exciting to share today!

If you have been here before, you know I am a BIG FAN of Oliver and S sewing patterns for children. They are fantastic. Each season I wait with great anticipation the release of their new patterns. I can't wait to get my hands on their new Spring patterns. But guess what?! I got my hands on one EARLY! They sent me the Seashore Sundress pattern early to be a pattern tester!!!

So check it out - my sweet girl modelling her preview sundress!



(Yes, it's a little big. I sewed this and took this photograph in January when it was too cold to wear. Delilah is growing like a weed so I've been making her Spring and Summer wardrobe in sizes that are currently too big in the hopes they'll fit when the sun is shining!)

I have to make a matching hair accessory of some kind. Oh and just picture some sweet little sandals instead of those socks!

Delilah, if you like your new dress raise your hand!!!



Before the patterns are sent off for a final print, they have real life sewists follow the patterns and give feedback from our perspective about how the garments fit on our kids, how the instructions were to follow, etc. How thoughtful of O&S to do this?! This is the kind of quality control that just makes me love them even more! I was PSYCHED to test this pattern. I hope my feedback was helpful.
Honestly, the pattern was easy to follow and I love how it turned out. What great details -- There are little pockets at the ruffled hem for Delilah to store her treasures in!

Delilah wants you to know this would be a good outfit for a supermodel to sport down a runway. Scuse her while she struts it out.



(If you want Delilah to model for you, she says she doesn't get out of her crib for less than $10k)

The fabric is Go By Bike by Erin Morris for Free Spirit in violet. My sweet husband bought me two yards from Whipstitch Fabrics for Hannukah! I love it when he picks fabric for me to make D clothes with - it involves him to make it a family project. He's made some odd choices before, AHEM, so I directed him to Whipstitch knowing he would get some good help there. I was SO pleased!

Now check my daughter with her crazy hair and expression to match. She is a character.



For the pattern test, I also made a smaller sized sundress using City Weekend fabric, Oliver and S' own fabric line which they so kindly sent me with the pattern.



This dress went to a sweet little girl in our neighborhood. But I can't show you her picture because she's not my kid, and I don't think it's cool to post other people's kids on the internet. Just trust me, she's cute. The dress looks better on her than on this hanger on my door!

If you are going to sew for children, you simply MUST try Oliver and S patterns. MUST! Later skater,

Janimal

CAMO DRESS!!! Can you see me?!

I've been talking about the "camo dress" for so long, it's about time I unveiled the thing.

Drumroll please......



Now that you're blind from the glare off my pasty legs, let's talk about the dress! This is the Socialite Dress pattern from Anna Maria Horner. I chose camo fabric from J&O fabrics as my first run through as a sort of funky muslin to check the fit. I'm a big fan of muslins being wearable if they work out - and am pleased to say I wore this camo dress to brunch last weekend!
I have a pair of stilletto knee high lace up suede boots that I think are PERFECT with this dress - but not for a family brunch outing.

Here's a headless shot -- it's all about the dress (and my straggly hair - oy!)



I could totally win a game of hide and seek in my camo dress now.
I really like that this dress has pockets. And they were totally easy to sew in. Swear!




I'm sorry I forgot to get a picture of the back of the dress. Taking a picture of my butt just wasn't in my mind -- you understand!

This pattern has no zips or buttons to sew, the dress just pulls on overhead. It can be worn with or without a belt but honestly without a belt I think it looks a bit tentlike. I sewed myself a medium, and it fits. But for the next run through, I think I will make the top bigger and the lower part smaller. It's a bit more snug in the bust than would be ideal. This dress was pretty easy to put together. I would recommend it for beginners. And I'll be making it again.

So there you have it. What do you think? Chic or scary?!

Later skaters,
Janimal

P.S.
Oh, I have a tutorial to post for my quadruple stitched taggy blankets, and another Oliver & S pattern complete to show off. Come back soon!

Ruby Star Rising Dress and Stinkeye!

Recently I showed you a simple dress I made using the fabulous ruby star rising fabric from Melody Miller. Delilah had to model it for you.

She makes the funniest little faces when I ask her to model for me.
I had grand plans to make a matching hair accessory and bag, but couldn't wait for those for Delilah to wear this dress. Though it was a struggle convincing her to take off her ballet tutu to put this on. She's REALLY into wearing a tutu these days!

It's a little big on her at the moment. But that's ok, because she's growing like a weed so maybe she'll get to wear this more than once!

Isn't she cute? Perhaps never mind on making the matching hair accessory. Delilah INSISTED on wearing this non-matching purple hairbow no matter what.

She was having all kinds of fun running around.

Now here's the pic that makes me feel badly. She woke up at 4am that morning, and wouldn't go back to sleep. I should have known something was wrong. Look how tired the poor dear looks here. Happy, but those are some sleepy eyes.

Despite the early wake-up, I dragged her little booty to music class that morning. And she got sick about a minute after this pic was taken. So I assume her early morning wakeup was due to an upset tummy, poor dear. (All's well though, she was fine after that morning episode and got a long nap.)

A little vent.......

I caught the stinkeye with accompanying whispers from a couple moms at music class while I was taking care of the cleanup. Despite being engrossed in taking care of D and the mess, I STILL noticed their attitude and caught some of what they were saying. What's up with that?! I didn't intentionally bring a sick child to class and I hightailed it out of there immediately.

Class hadn't started yet so D hadn't handled any instruments. She had no fever, and until the moment she blew chunks, appeared happy and was running around playing. Perhaps I should have known something was up, but I really had no idea I would be facing vomit in a public place later. Um, compassion fellow moms?

A little background......Actually I've met some nice moms at this music class, but also have gotten some negative reaction from some moms when I disclose I am a working mom. In our suburb, being a stay at home mom appears to be the norm. That's cool, yo. But it means I get sympathizing judgment and comments about working - "Oh, you work? Well that's ok. If you have to." - real quote accompanied by arm pat. I respect those who SAH, it's too bad so many people can't be respectful of people who make different choices. It doesn't bug me so much, I choose not to judge their lifestyle choices and I don't care how they judge mine.

But this attitude about my sick kid did irritate me.

Anyway, how about I sit right next to one of the stinkeye ladies at the next music class? And maybe say something like "Hmmm, it smells funny in here, like vomit or something!!" And talk about my career. Hehe.

Or perhaps I will take the high road and focus on the moms that are actually COOL in the class. Decisions, decisions.

Ordinarily if I caught someone being nasty (and their comments sounded nasty) I would call someone on it. But at the time, my child was my focus not those catty women. I should (and probably will) just let this go. They don't matter.

But every once in a while, cattiness just really gets to me. Since I was a girl in school I have always had a special dislike for catty people (not just women!). I have always been the type to be as direct as possible, and to not put up with or be friendly with mean chicks. In school I was the type to stick up for those being picked on. Gosh, I think I still am that type. I suppose there were enough mean girls in school that we are bound to encounter mean moms too. They suck.

So anyway, do I even have a point? I lost it somewhere. Oh yeah, mean girls suck. And its extra super lame to be mean to someone when they can't have a go at you back (like when your kid is puking on you.)

Ah, anyway, not my usual kind of post talking about all this. Thanks for stopping by and be nice to someone today!

Janimal

Ruby Star Rising Dress For Delilah

I have LOTS of projects in the works -- all put on hold because of the arrival of this:

Yeah Baby! That's Ruby Star Rising! A fabulous fabric line by Kokka designed by Atlanta artist Melody Miller. Local shop Whipstitch fabrics sold out within 48 hours! I bought some from them and also managed to make online orders at Purl Soho and FabricWorm. (By the way, FAST shipping from FabricWorm. Nice!)

I just HAD to make something right away! But it's so hard finding the right project for fabric that is SO awesome.

Of course, Delilah had to have a Ruby Star Rising garment of some kind.

So, here it is, the Ruby Star Rising Dress.

This print in the line is called "Ephemera", and includes bits and pieces that appear in the other fabrics in the line. Check out those awesome viewfinder reels and pretty teacups!

The back of dress is pretty cool too....

It took me a loooooong time to choose the buttons! I settled on these peach ones to try and maintain the retro feel of the dress. The lining is linen from Fabric.com.

I'm pretty proud of myself for matching up the side seams like this.

To get the other side seam matched would have required cutting into another yard/panel. This is pricey stuff, so I made do and I think it looks just fine.

Delilah really wants to model this for you, but right now, here is a more appropriate outfit for her:

SO much snow in Atlanta! She's bundled up like Randy from A Christmas Story. Not a good day to wear a linen/cotton dress. Hopefully she can wear this to a party next weekend (with some nice comfy layers underneath) so I can show it off on my cutiepie. That gives me a few days to come up with the right accessories!

She managed to sneak a snowball into the house! She

sweetly offered me a bite. Snow has no calories, you know.

The dress pattern is Madison by Bonnie Blue. This very simple pattern is becoming kind of a "go to" for me to show off my favorite fabrics. It's just a simple A line jumper, which showcases pretty fabrics without overwhelming my little model.

I have other garments to show you though! I actually do manage to sew other garments with design details! Please visit here again! Besides some shots of my little model in this dress, I hope to show you a couple other Oliver and S items, and post progress of my camo dress.

Please stop by again soon!

Janimal

Cat In The Hat Dress

I like to make dresses for you!

I like to make them in the zoo!

I like to take your picture too!

I like to sew, oh yes I do!

OK - so that wasn't great, but who can compare to the amazing Dr Seuss?!?!

Delilah is a fan:

Delilah is decked out in a dress (pattern Madison by Bonnie Blue Designs) made with love by her Momma (ahem, me) from whimsical Dr Seuss Cat in the Hat print from Robert Kaufman.

Totally cute, right?!

I think the simple dress pattern without any other embellishment shows off the fabric, but doesn't overpower the kid wearing it.

When I first saw the Dr Seuss fabric was coming, I preordered some, not knowing WHAT to do with it. Then I received an invitation to a Dr Seuss art exhibit at a local gallery! PERFECT!

Our little lady struck a pose at the entrance to the gallery. Classy!

Delilah was a big hit at the gallery, of course! She was very well behaved in a bouncy two year old sort of way, and she was noticed for the dress, but adored for her cuteness. (Where this kid got those luscious eyelashes I have no idea.) The art, by the way was AMAZING. Dr Seuss, Theodor Geisel, was one talented dude.

We managed to choose a small Dr Seuss print to purchase and bring home. Gosh we did feel important buying ART from a GALLERY! Like grownup people! All that fanciness was a lot for us, so we departed the gallery in our finery and went out for burgers and fries.

Thanks for stopping by,

Later skater,

Janimal